This invention relates to the injection curing of fresh primal cuts of meat intended for consumption by individuals on a low sodium diet and, more particularly, to aqueous injection curing solutions which are substantially free of (a) organic nitrite and (b) chloride, phosphate, nitrate and sodium ions and which contain, as the sole curing agent, a nitrite selected from the group consisting of potassium nitrite, ammonium nitrite, nitrous acid and mixtures thereof.
The term "primal cuts" as used herein refers to definitions promulgated by the American Meat Institute which shall include ham, bacon, corned beef, cured beef and pastrami.
In the curing of bacon, corned beef and pastrami, the meat is injected with the curing solution by a procedure known as stitch pumping in which the solution is pumped directly into the tissues through a large number of closely spaced, hollow needles.
Arterial pumping is used to inject the curing solution into ham, although a procedure similar to stitch pumping could also be employed. In arterial pumping, the solution is injected into the vascular system of the ham through a hollow needle inserted in, for example, the femoral artery. The curing solution is carried through all of the capillaries and establishes equilibrium with the tissue cells.
In the curing of primal cuts by the injection process, the meat is pumped to about 110 percent of its weight with the aqueous curing solution. Where the curing solution is added to ham in an amount exceeding 10 percent of its "green weight" or raw weight as, for example, in an amount corresponding to 10 to 15 percent of its green weight, the ham is labelled "water added"; and if the curing solution is added in an amount from 15 to 20 percent or more of its green weight, the product is labelled "imitation ham."
After the pumping step, the primal cuts may be maintained at a cooling temperature between about 32.degree. and 42.degree. F. for about 1 to 5 days. Following the cooling step, the primal cuts may be further processed by heating and smoking. The cured meats are refrigerated or frozen until sold or processed into canned products.
A typical, non-dietetic, curing solution for primal cuts contains sodium chloride, sodium nitrite, sodium nitrate, suger and/or honey, sodium phosphate, sodium ascorbate and condiments.
Although most people can readily ingest primal cuts cured with a conventional sodium chloride brine, there are certain individuals, particularly those with heart disease and related ailments, who require a low sodium diet. These persons have relatively little variety in their diet because of the small number of low sodium foods. Additionally, other people who could benefit from a low sodium diet, but who do not suffer severely from sodium chloride containing foods, usually do not stay on the prescribed or recommended diet because of the poor selection of low sodium foods. Thus, the production of low sodium primal cuts would be of substantial benefits to those persons who are on a low sodium diet because it would increase the variety of foods available for their selection and consumption.